The 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference, known as COP 21 or CMP 11 was held in Paris, France, from 30 November to 12 December 2015. On 12 December 2015 the participating 195 countries agreed by consensus to the final global pact, the Paris Agreement, to reduce emissions as part of the methods for reducing greenhouse gas. President Xi was invited to give an impressive speech at the conference, which in a way demonstrates China’s significant role in the success of COP21.

On December 21, 2015, the Brookings-Tsinghua Center hosted a public lecture and panel discussion, together with Student Green Association of Tsinghua University and Student’s Association for Global Affairs, to talk about the implications of the 2015 United Nations Climate Change Conference on China, featuring Jiankun He, Director of Institute of the Low Carbon Economy at Tsinghua University, who participated in COP21 this November. Fei Teng, associate professor from Energy-Environment-Economy Institute at Tsinghua University, who is also one of the participants in COP21, joined the panel discussion. Ye Qi, professor of School of Public Policy& Management at Tsinghua University, and Director and Senior Fellow at the Brookings-Tsinghua Center, was the moderator. The speakers brought their first-hand information of the conference and probe into the negotiations and outcomes of COP21, as well as their implications on China, emphasizing China’s huge contributions to global emissions reduction plans.

Jiankun He is currently the director of Institute of Low Carbon Economy at Tsinghua University. He is also the former vice president of Tsinghua University. As a professor and doctoral supervisor of management science and engineering at Tsinghua University, his research interests include energy systems engineering, and climate change strategies and policies.